After a busy first week, the group got a well-deserved rest for their bodies and minds this past weekend. On Saturday, the group traveled to Jinja for a get-away- going on a sunset kayaking trip down the Nile River. Sunday the group relaxed and lounged before returning to the camp.

Monday brought a return to the grind as the group nearly finished the temporary brick shelter. There was a small frenzy in the afternoon when rain started to fall and the shelter’s roof was incomplete. The bricks that were to be protected by the shelter are not allowed to get wet, so the group and community members scrambled to cover the bricks with plastic tarps and banana leaves to finish covering the roof of the structure. Additionally, the group has been hard at work leveling out the foundation for four of the classrooms in the academy.

The group is beginning to develop close relationships with some of the members of the community they have been working alongside. On Saturday a boy named Eugene and accompanied by Gasana, the village leader, took the group on a hike to an overlook of Kyeitabya. The view was pretty incredible according to members of the group.

The group has also been enjoying the company of a young boy named Paolo, who is 8 years old. Paolo has been faithfully following the group around and helping out whenever he can, hauling one or two bricks at a time when necessary. With the help of Apollo’s translating skills, we were able to find out that Paolo is unable to go to school because his family cannot afford to buy the books he needs. Also, the school that he would be attending is a 5 mile walk from his home. All the more reason to continue work on the Academy in Kyeitabya!